Author's Note: Inspired by the "Poisonous Rose" thread over at Fiction Alley Park. Blatantly romantic and fluffy. You have been warned.

Rose tugged at Scorpius's hand. "C'mon, don't be frightened."

"I'm not frightened," he told her, though his eyes easily betrayed this statement (she had always loved how his eyes gave him away every time).

"Then come on," she said, grasping his hand tightly and pulling him to the front door of the Burrow, anxious to get out of the winter chill. Why Grandma Weasley had to have their annual family get-together at Christmas, she didn't know. Wouldn't it be much easier during the summer? But Rose had learned long ago that one did not argue with Grandma Weasley – it just wasn't done.

She peered over at Scorpius, who was anxiously biting his lower lip. Rose smiled encouragingly at him. "They'll love you," she assured him.

"Have you told the about . . . " He trailed off, waving his hand vaguely between the two of them. She rolled her eyes.

"Such a nice way to signify our romance," she said dryly. "And I was planning on telling them soon."

"When?"

"Oh, about two weeks from never."

Rose felt better when he laughed lightly, tossing his mess of blond hair over his eyes.

"They're going to have to know eventually," he informed her solemnly. She nodded up at him.

"Well, some of them do know." Scorpius looked surprised and a bit pleased. At least someone from his girlfriend's ridiculously large family knew they were involved.

Scorpius sighed and looked down at his impeccably shined shoes. Why was it so difficult for them to tell their fathers? His own mother and grandmother knew (But that was only because she had sent him a letter over the summer with a heart drawn on it. Really, he needed to have a talk with her about being such a ludicrous romantic).

Rose shifted slightly on the front step, drawing him out of his thoughts. She looked up at him, her wide hazel eyes gazing at him in concern. "You think we can do this?"

"Without the loss of my head and your freedom? It's a long shot," he wryly, and she giggled softly. "But I'm sure it'll work out fine."

"Really?"

He smiled down at her. "Really."

At that moment Rose shivered visibly, and he felt a quick stab of guilt for keeping her out in the cold for so long. "Here, take my cloak," he offered, peeling off the garment and pushing it towards her.

"But it's all you've got," she protested, and he silently agreed with her; it was agony wearing nothing but the sensible button down shirt he'd put on.

"But you're freezing," he countered, wrapping it around her shoulders. She felt a wave of affection for him crash around her. How many boys would give up their cloak just for her? Rose privately felt she was the luckiest girl in the world. And just to show him this, she pulled him down and pressed her lips briefly against his.

"Wooh! Go Rosie!"

"Encore! Encore!"

"Not on the porch!"

The couple broke apart shamefully, Rose's face flushing crimson. Scorpius looked completely bemused to find a gaggle of redheads staring at them from several open windows on the side of the house.

"You were spying on us!" Rose shrieked at them.

"That's right, Rosie dear," said one of them. Scorpius guessed it was her Uncle Charlie, due to the shiny red blister on his forearm as he dangled it out the window. "We wanted to know more about this Malfoy boy."

"And you've told us plenty," guaranteed another voice from somewhere within the house walls. Rose suddenly paled.

"Dad?" she squeaked, shuffling closer to Scorpius unconsciously as her father's tall frame loomed out from the window. Despite the presence of her father, he draped an arm comfortingly over her shoulder and felt her relax slightly.

"That's right," he confirmed.

"Er, did you happen to catch all of that?" she asked her father, and he nodded gravely. Scorpious felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. This was it. He and Rose were going to be forbidden to see each other ever again, and he would never get to hold her again, or sit with her by the lake, or unwind by the Common Room fire –